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Hi, I'm looking at purchasing a 1.5l 2007 Suzuku Swift offered from a mechanic - the car's engine blew up (faulty radiator hose?) and has been replaced. What questions should I be asking? Will an AA inspection reveal if there are any potential issues with the radiator/thermostat/coolant? Alternatively I'd be looking at a Mazda Verisa 2006 1.5L similar mileage, similar price from a dealer. Advice appreciated :) Thank you :)

Hi there,
The AA inspection is visual only, so they would check for leaks and comment on cooling system fluid strength. I would be asking if one hose faulted what are the others like? does the vehicle have a new water pump and thermostat and was the radiator flushed? The Verisa seems to also be a good vehicle from a reliability and functional point of view, it is a Japanese Domestic import so very little information is available on the spec and safety features.

Thank you, that helps a lot. I've looked at the Verisa but the boot space is tiny, so I looked at Honda Fit/Jazz with the magic seats but can't seem to find reliable info about which years/models are CVT (which I'd like to avoid). Are they all CVT? Best small car recommendation for reliability and economy with a decent boot size? Thank you :)

Hi there,
Have you looked at the Toyota Yaris/Vitz? Honda from 2010 don't seem to have many complaints on transmission issues like the mid 2000's did. Mazda Axela/Mazda 3 or Demio/Mazda 2 might be some another options to look into.

Hi, thank you :) Budget is dictating that I look at Mazda Verisa's to get a small car avoiding CVT. I've seen a 2009 Honda Fit 1.3L advertised that claims to be non CVT - are there any models of Fits that were non CVT and if so what years? Is there anyway of checking from VIN/Engine numbers? Is it worth me stretching to a Nissan Tiida non CVT 1.8l or will I notice the fuel cost differences a lot - I do frequent short trips (half hour) with my job. Thank you.

Hi there,
I can't see any Honda Fit that doesn't have a CVT transmission- with imports there are not really any detailed specs available and so each car could be different. The 1.8 would add a bit o the fuel bill but would be good if the trips were out of town. Import Tiidas seem to also have CVT and NZ new don't for 2008/2009 anyway. Hard decision but you might need to test them all and see which you like and then make sure it's a good one.